Wednesday, January 13, 2010

What's in a Name?


My good friend, Kelly, posed a question on Facebook this morning: "What does your name mean and are you living up to it?" Interesting. I've always known the importance of names in biblical days, but today? I didn't give much thought to naming my girls Kaitlynn ("pure") Rose ("fame or flower") and Emily ("rival") Ann ("grace"). I just liked the beautiful sound of their names.

I Googled a name-meaning website and discovered this:


My first name Mary means "sea of bitterness" (I have swam in that sea) and "rebelliousness" (I have defiantly raised that banner high). I like the Egyptian meaning which is "beloved." My middle name is Johanna which is the female version of John which means "gracious" - So I shall call myself "Beloved Grace" and hope I can live up to that! :o)

Kelly told me that Dr. Gerald Jeffers recently spoke on the name Mary which comes from "Mariam" which originally comes from "Moriah" (bitter water). Jesus was born from something meaning "bitter" and He turned it into something great. I like that!

Which reminds me of one of my favorite worship songs, "So Beautiful" by Kari Jobe and Christ for the Nations. Here is the verse that always touches me so deeply:

Merciful Father
There is none that compares to you
Who can take my bitterness
And make something sweet?
Only You

This is a cool website to check out: Behindthename.com

So what does your name mean? Are you living up to it?

4 comments:

Rhona said...

That was interesting! I've had a look for my name but the scottish meaning is "Scottish place name"

Anonymous said...

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Anders Branderud said...

Hello!
You write: “ Jesus was born from something meaning "bitter" and He turned it into something great”

I want to comment that statement..
[To differentiate,]
First of all, The historical person was named Ribi Yehoshua. His name was later redacted into Jesus by Christians.

Ribi Yehoshua – the Messiah – taught how to follow the Creator.
It is highly relevant for Christians whom want to follow the Messiah to know what was written in his authentic teachings. His authentic teachings were later redacted into the “gospel of Matthew”. In his true teachings one finds that he taught – just what is written in the Jewish Bible (which Christians calls the “GT”) – that humankind are required to do their utmost to keep the directives in Torah [“the books of Moses”] non-selectively.

Ribi Yehoshua was not a “Saviour”. He was not an “incarnate man-god”, like your post is implying by titling him with an capital “H”. He was a human.

Relating to the Creator exactly in the same way Ribi Yehoshua did – by observing the Creators directives in the Torah is very meaningful –including having a REAL relation to the Creator , which is highly meaningful!
1.These statements are proved in the website of Netzarims website

Anders Branderud

Mary Jo said...

Thank you for your comments, Anders! I respect your beliefs, but to me, He is Yeshua Ha'Mashiach, El Shaddai, God incarnate in man--both God and human at the same time. He is my Messiah. He alone is God.

Blessings to you in your studies! :o)